COUNTY ENGINEER
Established in 1803 by the Ohio General Assembly, the office of county surveyor was one of the few public offices not provided for in the state constitution. Originally appointed by the court of common pleas, the county surveyor became an elective post in 1931, with a three year term. The surveyor’s primary tasks dealt with the survey of all lands which were sold or to be sold for taxes and the employment of chainmen to establish boundary corners. Additional duties such as reporting trespassing on public lands, transcribing maps and plats, and performing service similar to those of justices of the peace came in the late nineteenth century.
In 1906, the impact of the transportation revolution brought about an expanded need for road construction and maintenance. By virtue of a legislative act that year, the county surveyor gained engineering responsibilities with respect to roads, turnpikes, bridges, and ditches in the county. He was also directed to perform duties relating to the preparation of plans, specifications, and costs for the construction or repair of roads, bridges, ditches, culverts, draws and other public improvements (except buildings). Road maintenance duties were further expanded in 1919 when the surveyor received authorization to designate one of his deputies as a maintenance engineer in charge of such activities. In an effort to improve the general quality of those seeking election to the office of county surveyor, in 1935 candidates for office were to be “registered professional engineers and registered surveyors licensed to practice in the state of Ohio.” The 1935 act also changed the title of the office to that of county engineer, and set the term of office at four years.
(Source: Ohio County Records Manual, Revised Edition. Ohio History Society aka Ohio History Connection)
(Includes Gravel Road Notices, Road Lengths, Property Owners, Case Outcomes)
(Includes Petitions to Improve Roads, List of Owner’s Names, Lot Sizes, Notices of Grand Road Appointment, Case Outcomes)
Improved Road Record
(Includes Petitions to Improve Roads, Petitioner’s Names, Journal Entries, Engineer Certificates, Notices of Contractors, Specifications, Road Lengths, Road Costs, Articles of Agreement, Contracts, Assessments, Owner’s Names and Acreage)
#3: 1882-1899
#4: 1902-1907
#5: 1906-1912
#6: 1911-1918
Commissioners’ Commencement & Termination of Roads 1808-1840
Index to County Roads #1: 1826-1941
Delaware County Road Guide
(Includes Road Guide to Previous Road Names and Summary of Laws Governing Widths of State and County Roads)
Road Width Records in Delaware County
(Includes Road Width Records of County, Including Road Record Volume Number and Page and Year Recorded)
Cross References for Road Petitions
(Includes the Cross References for Road Petitions of The Delaware County Commissioner’s Journals and the County Road Record Journals)
Road Record Books
(Includes Road Petitions, Proof of Posting and Publishing Notices, County Road Bonds, Orders Appointing Viewers, Notices to Viewers, Surveyors, and Land Owners of Time and Place of Meeting, Proof of Services, Proof of Publications, Certificates of Oath of Viewers and Surveyors, Reports of Surveyors)
#1: 1808-1836
#2: 1836-1851
#3: 1851-1897
#4: 1902-1940
Record Contract Book
(Includes Estimated Quantities and Costs of Individual Road Construction) 1915-1927
Index to State Roads 1800s
Record for State Roads #2: 1822-1834
Deputy County Surveyor’s Account Book 1909-1912
Delaware County Maps 1980,1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2015 (Manila Envelope)
County and Township Roads, US Routes, Interstates, Bridges and Culverts Records
(Records many not be all inclusive. Arranged by road, bridge, or culvert number)
County and Township Roads 1930-1939 (Collection of Maps compiled into 4 books)
County Engineer – Delaware County Township Road Maps
Maps have the following:
1. Road names circa 1920’s
2. Current road numbers
3. Railroads names and locations
4. Roads that are now under reservoirs
5. ICH-Inter County Highway (forerunner of the State Highway 6 System)
Township Maps Available For:
1. Berkshire
2. Berlin
3. Brown
4. Concord
5. Delaware
6. Genoa
7. Harlem
8. Kingston
9. Liberty
10. Marlboro
11. Orange
12. Oxford
13. Porter
14. Radnor
15. Scioto
16. Thompson
17. Trenton
18. Troy
Ditch Records 1867-1956
The ditch records are officially records of the Delaware County Engineer. The Delaware Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) assists the County Engineer with drainage matters that are outside of the road right-of-way. Questions regarding the ditch records should be directed to the SWCD office. The SWCD administrative office phone number is 740-368-1921.
Accounts of Engineering, Inspecting, Rodmen and Expenses on County Ditches Sept 1909 – 1913
Ditch Book Ledger 1906-1909
Ditch Journal 1911-1918
Engineer Materials On Microfilm
Ancient Surveys
Ditch Plats
Improved Road Records 1 thru 6
Index to State Roads, Index to County Roads, and Road Records 2 & 3
Road Record 4, Contract Records 3 &4, Surveys Cash Book
Road Record
Road Relocation Maps: Alum Lake Area
Survey Record 3 thru 11